Extinguished Flame
by Dana1
Summary: Long overdue update Lives are turned upside down when the unexpected happens.
1. prologue

Title: Extinguished Flame  
  
Author: Dana  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Warnings: Um...check out first chapter. Don't want to ruin the fic.  
  
Summary: Lives are turned upside down when the unexpected happens.  
  
Time frame: AU (At least I hope so!) to the Unforgiven 2003 PPV.  
  
Disclaimer: I claim no one that you recognize ;).  
  
Prologue (Two different POVs. It's the only time it will be in first person.)  
  
Okay take a deep breath. You've jumped from this height before. He's not even moving. He won't move. One quick prayer and go. Don't chicken out go! On three. One two...No! The cage is breaking! Oh God! He's screaming. I'm screaming. I love you M...  
  
***  
  
This is the best day. I can't wait for him to call home. He'll be so happy. We've been trying for so long. The baby will have the best. What time is it? Shouldn't he have called? He said he'd call after the PPV.   
  
Oh I can't wait. The nursery can go in what is the guestroom. Do we need a nanny? He had one didn't he? Oh I don't know! I'm just so excited.  
  
The phone's ringing! Wait until he finds out.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Her world ended in just one sentence.  
  
A soon to be mother and a widow on the same day. 


	2. Unpleasant Birthday

This takes place about 3 year later.  
  
Unpleasant Birthday.  
  
Marissa tied another balloon to the gate. It was Shannon and Mia's third birthday. Twins. Shane would be as proud as I am. Stop thinking like that Marissa! She ordered herself. You can not be sad on their birthday.  
  
"Momma!" One of the twins yelled. She turned around to see Mia making her way up to her. The twins were fraternal and not identical. Mia looked like a cross between Marissa and Shane while her twin was the spitting image of Shane. "Aunt Stephy and Uncle Hunter are here!" Stephy was the twin's nickname for Stephanie McMahon. Hunter and Stephanie married a few months after Shane's funeral even though they were originally going to be married on October 25.  
  
"Okay let's go in." She said and followed Mia into the house where not only Stephanie and Hunter were but also Vince and Linda. There were a lot of little kids too. Vince still didn't look well. Though she was sure she didn't either. She had ordered the PPV's replay so she could see it herself. And she watched her husband fall off the cage as it collapsed and her father in law standing at ringside. He had been the first one to reach Shane. And the phone call was still fresh in her memory. Stephanie calling her to say the cage had collapsed and Shane was killed. And Kane who was on the outside wasn't harmed at all.  
  
She hugged both Vince and Linda. "We hired a professional photographer for the twins' birthday." Linda said. "Thought it would be nice." Her voice caught.   
  
"Thanks Linda." Marissa said. "Can I get any of you something to drink? The clown should be here soon. And the kids are playing." She saw Vince was staring at something on the mantle. Marissa knew what it was. She hadn't had the heart to take down the Shane pictures. She thought the twins should know what their father looked like and she felt closer to Shane that way.  
  
"Water would be nice." Linda said. "Vince?"  
  
He looked up. "Water would be fine Marissa."  
  
"Okay I'll get you both some. Hunter? Steph?" She asked looking over at Hunter and a quite pregnant Stephanie. They both nodded. "Okay then." She walked into the kitchen. She was taking down glasses when the doorbell rang. "Can one of you guys get that? It's probably the clown."  
  
When she came out she found Vince had answered the door and it wasn't the clown. It was the one everyone felt was responsible. She went up to stand next to her former father in law and glared at the man. "Get the heck out of my house Bischoff."  
  
"I just came by to bring Mia and Shannon presents. I'll go!" He handed her the presents. Shannon came to stand behind Marissa. "Wow she looks almost just like Shane."  
  
Marissa saw the pained expression on Vince's face. She felt the same way. "Get out and never come back."  
  
"I'm going. But I never did it." Bischoff was gone.  
  
What a bad way to start a party. 


	3. A Town of Snobs

Notes: a couple of new characters. And yeah I make fun of a certain town that I have never been in but I'm taking something to the extreme that might be important later. Won't tell you either way so :P.  
  
A Town of Snobs  
  
"Come on Jack. You promised to help me with the McMahon party pictures." Hannah Thompson complained to her friend.   
  
"More rich people wanting to photograph their kids. Don't you ever get tired of it Hannah? And kids. I don't even like kids." Jack Doeman said.   
  
"Ever the optimist huh Jack? Sheesh and I thought I was the one who hated rich people."  
  
"They treat us like we aren't even human in this town. They tip well but they are rude if the food isn't quite right. I'm about ready to get out of this town. I don't even know why I stay here."  
  
"Maybe because of me?" Hannah asked not one bit serious. "Come on do this shoot with me and we'll both go to New York for a break. I have family there on Long Island. Won't cost us a cent. Pack your bags and we can leave as soon as I take the last picture."  
  
"Okay Hannah. The boss told me to take a few days off. Something about it being a slow week. It's like the designated Eat at Home week here in Greenhell." Greenhell was their nickname for Greenwich.   
  
"Darn you mean I'll miss it?" Hannah said. "Phooey. Come on let's get the pictures done. I picture us at Shea Stadium tomorrow."   
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
They got into Hannah's 76 Honda Civic. "So how did the McMahon's get to be so rich? I'm pretty sure I've heard their named tossed around at Restaurant Jean-Luis."   
  
"Oh they own some wrestling company. Basically by running smaller companies into the ground. But as my mom would say they suffered their own loss like everyone else. Something about their kid dying. I don't know don't care either. I didn't know him and I'm sure if I had ran into him on the street he wouldn't have even said hello. When I save up enough money I am so out of here. Oh look we are here."  
  
They got out of the car and saw a man stomp over to a car looking mad. They rang the doorbell ignoring the angry man. Jack thought he heard someone yell "If that's Bischoff again do whatever you want Hunter."  
  
The door opened and they saw a tall blond man standing there. "Hi I'm Hannah Thompson you hired me to take pictures?"  
  
"Sure. Come in." He opened the door. Jack stopped in the doorway looking at everything.   
  
"Jack?" Hannah called turning around.   
  
"Huh? Oh sorry." He continued on but kept staring at all the things. Ugh rich people. They went outside and found the party in full swing.   
  
"I'm Marissa McMahon. You must be the photographers?" A woman with brown hair came over.   
  
"Yes. My name is Hannah Thompson and this is my friend Jack who will be assisting me. Do you want candids or set up shots? Or I can do both."  
  
"Both would be fine. Start when you're ready." She walked off.  
  
"So what exactly am I supposed to do? I don't know anything about taking pictures."  
  
"You can hand me new film when I ask. For now just try not to get in the way." Hannah said taking out her camera.   
  
Jack stood back and watched her taking pictures. He watched the clown. He watched all of the kids.   
  
And for some reason he had a feeling of being very alone. 


	4. Argument

"Gramma!" Mia called. Linda looked up to see the young child run up to her. She was holding something in her hand.   
  
"Hi Mia. What's that?"   
  
"It's for you. A graff."  
  
"Giraffe?" The little girl nodded. "Thank you I love it." She put it in her lap and watched Mia run back over to the clown. She sighed. She looked around and Stephanie and Marissa setting up the plates and cups. Even though her son had died she still cared about Marissa. And she knew Marissa was still in pain over Shane's death as were the rest of them.  
  
She saw someone she didn't know but was sure she'd seen him before sit in the chair next to her. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. He was muttering something about expensive chairs.  
  
"Don't like the house?" Linda asked.  
  
"Oh it's a nice house. Definitely fits in with Greenwich standards." He said not looking at her. "These chairs look like they cost more then what I make in six months."  
  
Linda was taken aback by that. "My son bought them actually so I wouldn't know how much he paid."  
  
He snorted. But didn't say anything. "What is it about you rich people and trying to flaunt your wealth?"  
  
"I wouldn't say flaunt. More like we like having nice things just like anyone else."  
  
He snorted again. Linda was reminded of a horse. "Oh yeah the American dream to have nice things."  
  
"Cynical much?" Linda couldn't help but ask. This man she didn't know was at Marissa's home and was saying such things about her son? He may not have been saying it directly but it was making her mad.  
  
"Just the truth lady. I've been in this town a couple of years now and I hate it. No one gives hard working people the time of day. And if I hadn't met Hannah I would have completely left."  
  
"Just because one's rich doesn't mean they are hardworking Mr..."  
  
"Doeman. Oh I'm sure it doesn't but not in this town."  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"Hershey Pennsylvania."  
  
"And they didn't have class division there?" She asked skeptically.  
  
"I didn't stay there long but from what I noticed not as bad as here. I think I'll wait in the car."  
  
She watched as Shannon came running over just as Jack stood up. Shannon fell but Zack caught her before she hit the ground. Linda's hands shook as she noticed something about Jack's wrist. It had a scar.   
  
Like the one Shane got from football. 


	5. Remembering When

Notes: Chapter 5 will be longer. and it'll answer any questions anyone has about Long Island.   
  
Vince sighed watching his granddaughters play. He loved Shannon and Mia very much and couldn't wait for Stephanie and Hunter's but a dark cloud hung over the celebration like it did every year. He always wore the same fake smile. Whether at home or at work. He had to be the strong one but he wasn't. He was far from it.   
  
He still remembered the last thing he had said to Shane before the match. It was in anger. The fight went like this:   
  
"Don't do anything stupid out there Shane! Kane's not worth it."   
  
"After what he did to mom? He'll get what he's got coming to him." Shane swore.  
  
"Fine do whatever you want but if you get hurt don't blame me!" Vince stomped away.  
  
He had gone out to ringside when he saw Bischoff was out there. He wanted to make sure he didn't interfere in some way. Knowing Bischoff he'd find a way. Even in a cage people could interfere. But he never even once thought the cage would collapse.  
  
He stood there watching his son perched on the top of the cage. He was hesitating. He seemed nervous. He hoped what he had said to Shane wasn't affecting him. Because it might affect his jumping. Come on Shane! He silently cheered. He couldn't do it vocally though.   
  
His eyes widened as he heard the whine of metal as it started to bend. "Shane!" He screamed as his son lost his balance. He and the cage fell at the same time. He couldn't even breathe for a moment.  
  
He ran into the ring as fast as he could. The EMT's were running toward the ring. He grabbed his son's hand. "Shane stay with me!" He had a strange sense of dejavu. But Owen fell from a much higher distance. Shane was going to be okay he knew it.  
  
He saw a medic check for a pulse and was shaking his head. "No! Come on Shane breathe!" He begged his son. "You can't do this to us. I'm sorry I said what I said! Just breathe damn it!" tears were streaming down his face. "Please Shane."  
  
"I'm sorry Mr. McMahon. But he has no pulse."  
  
"Do something! Don't give up on him! shock him I don't care!"  
  
he watched them put his only son on a gurney and wheel him out. once they were past the fans they drew the sheet over their body.  
  
His cellphone started ringing. He didn't want to answer the question he knew was coming.  
  
"Dad?" a voice asked bringing him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Stephanie looking down at him. "You want some cake and ice cream? Tina made it." tina was Marissa's housekeeper.  
  
"Sure Steph." He looked around and saw that the twins were already unwrapping the presents. He had missed the singing. He sighed. wouldn't be the first time.   
  
he saw the photographer's assistant standing as far away from the party as he could. He was pretty sure he had seen him at Restaurant Jean-Luis. Had a bad attitude. And seemed to have one now. Maybe hiring a photographer wasn't such a good idea.  
  
Stephanie returned with the cake. She saw him looking at Jack and asked, "He's weird. I mean he's weird in the way he acts. You should have heard how he was talking to mom. He was saying this town looks down on hard workers. And even made some comment about the chairs that Shane had bought. I mean if he hates it here why does he stay?"   
  
Vince shrugged. "Who knows." 


	6. Long Island Family

Notes: Sorry guys this chapter's much shorter then I thought it would be.

"You ready to blow this joint Jack?" Hannah's voice woke him up. He had fallen asleep while waiting for her to finish the pictures.

"A long time ago." He got up and surveyed the now almost empty yard. "I'm just glad this is over. You owe me big time."

"I thought the trip to New York was going to be your reward."

"Let's just go. I think they'd be happy for me to go." 

"Jack you sure know how to make friends everywhere you go."

"Hey can I talk to you for a second?" Hunter Hearst Helmsley asked walking up to them.

Jack looked over at Hannah who just shrugged. "I guess."

They walked away to a quieter spot. "My wife told me what you were saying. What the hell is your problem? You are supposed to be here to take pictures and you criticize my family and the town I grew up in."

"I'm sorry you grew up in this town." Jack said sarcastically starting to walk away.

"Hey listen punk. If you hate it so much why don't you leave?"

"I will when I save up enough money. Of course you wouldn't know anything about that would you? You who had everything given to you. I have to work for every cent I ever made."

"You make it sound like the rich have everything. Take a look around at the people. Aside from the children do you see a happy face?" Jack looked around. He didn't see any smiles. Or any real ones anyway. "I lost a close friend three years ago. And you know what? It was the twins' father, my wife's brother, and the son of those two people there. So don't make it sound like we have everything because you don't know shit."

Jack just shook his head. "I'd rather be poor then rich."

Hunter wanted to punch him. He stopped when he saw something in the azure eyes. Something familiar and yet he didn't know the guy. He shook it off. He was sure this was a punk he would rather not know. "I'm not going to ruin my nieces birthdays by getting in a fight. Get the hell out of here."

"Gladly." Jack walked over to where Hannah waited. "Let's get out of here."

"Probably the best idea. I don't want them coming back here wanting their money back. Anyway New York awaits."

It took them a couple hours to get to Long Island because of traffic. This wasn't the first time he and Hannah had gone to New York for breaks. But he had never met this cousin of hers. He was curious because she had never mentioned him before.

When they got to her cousin's door she rang the doorbell. The door opened and standing there was a middle-aged woman not too tall and was plump. "Come in Hannah." She said hugging her. "This your friend?"

"Yes. This is Jack Doeman. Jack this is Shawna." They walked into the apartment. "Is Vinnie here? Or is he on the road again."

"He's home for once and in his office. The show got canceled. I'll tell you this much I'm glad to have him home for once. But don't be surprised if you don't see him much. He's always working. Have a seat and I'll go get him."

She disappeared. They sat on the couch. Jack took in the surroundings. The apartment was cluttered but not too messy. It definitely had a comfortable feeling to it. There were pictures hanging on the wall along with a few awards and posters. A few minutes later Shawna came back with a man who looked to be a little over six feet with short brown hair and a beard.

"Vinnie!" She hugged the man. "Vinnie this is my friend Jack Doeman. Jack this is my cousin Vince Russo."

Vince dropped the coffee cup he was holding. 


	7. Fight

Notes: When we last left off Hannah had just introduced her cousin Vince 'Vinnie' Russo to Jack Doeman. Vince Russo promptly dropped his coffee cup. I forgot that no longer shows asterisks so I'm hoping this will help.

Fight

"Vinnie are you okay" Hannah asked worry very evident in her voice.

"Oh I'm fine. Butterfingers I guess. So this is the friend you told me about. Hello Jack. I feel like I already know you. You guys watch wrestling"

"No but guess whose birthday party I photographed today." Hannah said with a sly grin.

"One of Connecticut's billionaires." Vince asked as he picked up the broken coffee pieces.

"Yep and you know them. It was Vince McMahon's granddaughters." She turned to look at Jack. "Jack almost got into a fist fight with Hunter Hearst Helmsley."

"Oh really" Vince asked raising an eyebrow. "How did you manage that"

"I hate the rich and I guess Helmsley didn't like me expressing my opinion."

Vince smiled. "Oh trust me Helmsley deserves to be punched. He's one of the biggest snobs I have ever met. Anyways the reason why I asked if you liked wrestling is because I have three tickets for RAW tomorrow night at Nassau Coliseum. They are front row and everything. NWA-TNA is just a clip show so I can go to the show. I want to scope out the competition and the talent. My children all are going to see Lion King with a friend so they can't go."

Hannah and Jack looked at each other and shrugged. "Why not? We can laugh at the McMahon's." Jack said. He didn't notice the slight smirk on Russo's face.

"Why don't you two relax for awhile and we'll go to Chinatown for dinner. I feel like celebrating. I received the quarter ratings and we are slaughtering the WWE. Our buy rates for our weekly PPV's average higher then the WWE's monthly ones."

"That's great! We should celebrate! You'll run them out of business soon. Isn't that great Jack" She turned to face Jack who was now standing there looking out the window. "Jack"

Jack had walked to the window during that conversation. He had wondered what the view from Long Island was like. He looked down. They were in a penthouse apartment so it was a very long way down. He felt dizzy as if he was on a narrow spot. He could hear the whine of metal and felt like he was falling backwards.

"Jack" Hannah yelped. She hurried over to him. "Breathe in. Breathe out. Vinnie do you have a paper bag? He's hyperventilating! It's okay Jack. You'll be fine."

Russo helped to get Jack to sit down on the couch. Once they got him calmed down Vince turned to Hannah. "This happen often"

"He has panic attacks when he's somewhere high. I once told him he must have fallen from a very high place in a past life." She noticed her cousin suddenly turn the same pale shade that Jack was. "Vinnie it was a joke."

Russo shook himself. "I know. I'm fine. Just a bit tired is all. I've been trying to book next week's show and am having problems because a lot of the wrestlers are on a Japan tour. That's why this week is a clip show. You guys want to go to Chinatown now"

"Yeah." Jack said. He was relaxed now. "I'm sorry about earlier. I just hate heights."

"That's okay Jack." Russo said with a smile. "A lot of people do. Let me go tell Shawna and get the kids ready to go." He walked out of the room.

"Are you sure you're okay Jack" Hannah asked turning her attention to her still shaky best friend.

"I'm fine I promise. Let's just go eat."

* * *

Two days later Vince Russo, Hannah, and Jack were sitting in the front row at the Nassau Coliseum. Jack wasn't sure why he had agreed to go. He didn't even like wrestling. He looked over at Vince who was sitting there taking notes. Scouting. Hannah said he's always working.

He was bored until Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley came out. He sat up straighter in his seat. This should be interesting. He didn't know what Hunter was talking about and found him to be boring. He decided to have a little fun with him as he left the ring.

"Thank God you're finally done" He yelled.

Helmsley frowned looking around obviously recognizing the voice.

"I hope you wrestle better then you talk"

Now he was walking in their direction and stopped in front of them. "Don't you ever shut up" Helmsley asked.

"Do you? I'm not surprised TNA kicks your butt every week. You put the fans to sleep. Maybe if Sha..."

He didn't get any further as Helmsley punched him. He hit the ground but got up quickly and started fighting right back. Security had to pull him off.

As he was led away in handcuffs he couldn't help but smile. That was more fun then he had all week.


	8. A Surprising Revelation

"Thanks so much Vince." Jack said as they exited the 9th precinct in New York City.

"No problem Jack." Vince said. "I still can't believe you were the one arrested. He's the one who threw the first punch. I never could stand Hunter."

"Rich snob." Jack agreed. He turned to Hannah who had been quiet the whole time. "Next time let's skip wrestling and go to a Met's game. I hated that stuff." He didn't see the surprised look on Vince's face.

"Really?" She asked. "I thought it was fun especially the fist fight."

"Don't worry Jack." Vince said as he signaled for a cab. "If you are ever in Orlando, I'll get you a ticket for TNA. Now that's good wrestling. We keep the pre madonna's to a limit."

Jack just laughed. "I'm sure." He said as he got into the cab.

***

"Hunter," Linda said as her son-in-law entered the hotel room a couple of days later. "I really think you should drop the charges against Jack Doeman."

"Linda you heard what he said about Shane! I wasn't going to stand for it. Shane and I had our problems in the past but we grew up together. That punk did nothing but disrespect our family. I want him to pay for it."

"Hunter you can't deck every fan that says something about Shane." Stephanie reminded her husband. "Besides he'll probably counter sue you because you punched him first."

"I guess you are right Steph." Hunter said still seething. If he ever ran into Jack again, the little punk would pay.

***

A woman sat on a porch sipping a glass of wine with a folder spread across her lap. Her calico cat lay stretched out on the ground. She looked at her guest in amusement. "That is amazing! We haven't been able to see the results of our relocation patients. You are saying he had no idea?"

"That's what I'm saying Rachel. No one in his family recognized him and vice versa. There was a fistfight and everything. Jack will be okay. I told him if they did press charges he would be in the right to counter sue."

"Vince you really shouldn't have brought him there." Rachel Thompson said as she shut the folder. "He could have had a panic attack much like the one he did in your apartment."

"I know but I was anxious to see what would happen if he was there. He'd already been exposed when he went to the McMahon birthday party."

Rachel shook her head. "My daughter the photographer. She could do so much more with her skills then photograph kids parties but would she listen to me? No."

"Would you rather her have her work for the government like you do?"

"In my line of work? No. I should have discouraged that friendship from the start. She opened the folder again and wrote the word success next to Shane McMahon's name.


End file.
